Grim Chart Reveals Afghanistan's Booming Opium Industry

For the past 10 years, troops from the U.S. and our allies have been in Afghanistan as part of a war that has cost billions of dollars.

So, what happened to the country's opium poppy crop during that time? It's at a record high:

Reuters

Reuters reports that the country's record crop will embarrass Afghanistan's aid donors after more than 10 years of efforts to wean farmers off the crop, fight corruption, and cut links between drugs and the Taliban insurgency.

It is estimated that this year Afghanistan may supply 90% of the world's opium, which is used to create the illicit street drug heroin.